A freely relaxing polymer remembers how it was straightened

TL;DR

This paper investigates how different initial straightening methods affect the short- and long-term relaxation dynamics of semiflexible polymers through simulations and theory.

Contribution

It introduces a systematic analysis of how experimental preparations influence polymer relaxation, highlighting short-time behaviors and boundary effects.

Findings

Different preparation methods lead to distinct short-time dynamics.

Universal long-time relaxation behavior is identified.

Boundary effects significantly influence relaxation processes.

Abstract

The relaxation of initially straight semiflexible polymers has been discussed mainly with respect to the longest relaxation time. The biologically relevant non-equilibrium dynamics on shorter times is comparatively poorly understood, partly because "initially straight" can be realized in manifold ways. Combining Brownian dynamics simulations and systematic theory, we demonstrate how different experimental preparations give rise to specific short-time and universal long-time dynamics. We also discuss boundary effects and the onset of the stretch--coil transition.